


thunder and lightning

by thevaccines



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mild Smut, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining, Teenagers, and maybe some - Freeform, but a little bit of unrequited love, good ending dw !, not canon, rooftops are a reoccuring theme in my love stories it seems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2019-03-02 01:43:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13307766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thevaccines/pseuds/thevaccines
Summary: Richie and Eddie grow up living next to each other. Their roofs connect, leading them to years of sneaking out of their windows for daily late-night conversations, until the sun comes up, and maybe even for longer. Theres nothing that can stop them from seeing one another, except maybe the occasional storm.For as long as the two can remember, they've been neighbours, best friends.Maybe even more.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> please listen to this mix   
> https://other-atmospheres.ambient-mixer.com/thunderandlightning
> 
> its the mood for when they're sitting on rooftops and falling in love
> 
> thank you rie :*

Richie and Eddie grow up as neighbours. Their roofs connect. Every night they climb out of their windows to sit and chat, look at stars, or discuss the latest book they are reading. No matter the weather, unless its raining, then they talk on the walkie talkies they saved up for and bought together.

They don’t like to skip days. The only time they did that was when Eddie’s cat died, and he didn’t want to come out for a day. Sometimes its not even talking, just sitting in comfortable silence, watching a blizzard or heavy rain and counting in between the thunder and lightning. Most of the time its quick conversations, but even those Eddie cherishes. 

~

_“You got a minute?” Richie asks, perched on his rooftop. Eddie’s 9 years old and Richie’s 11.He’s got his hands behind his back as Eddie pokes his head out his window, curious._

_“Whats up?” He squeaks in response. Richie gives him a devilish grin as he reveals what he’s hiding. Eddie’s jaw drops and eyes widen._

_“I got fireworks. Will you come out later to light them in the park with me?”_

_“Woah!” Eddie climbs out, and the two stand on the edge of their roofs as they discuss their plans for the evening. Unfortunately it rained that night, but the next evening they were out in the park lightning firecrackers to their hearts content. Eddie watched as Richie’s smile grew impossibly larger, his eyes brighter than he’d ever seen them. It made Eddie’s heart feel ten times its size._

~

As they grew older and the conversations became more serious, Eddie had began to realize that his feelings for Richie weren’t just a phase (as his school therapist had said they were). He was starting to cherish all the late night conversations on the rooftops, or when they would sit and watch _Bladerunner_ in Richie’s bed, and maybe, just maybe, their thighs would touch or hands would brush. 

When they touched Eddie swore there was something electric. Something that made his heart thunder in his chest and his brain lose proper functioning for a moment. He wanted that. He wanted Richie. He also wanted to not want Richie, simply because Richie is a _senior._ Why would any senior want to be with a sophomore? Plus, Richie was fucking _beautiful_. Why would someone so beautiful want to be with someone so plain? 

~

_Eddie is perched on the edge of the cliff at the quarry. He’s 13, Richie is 15. Richie is smoking a cigarette, and the sun went down too soon for them to dry off from their day of swimming (racing contests and seeing who can hold their breath underwater the longest). That means summer is almost ending. And Eddie will be joining Richie at high school._

_They’re both still in their swim shorts, just relaxing. Richie’s hair is curlier now than Eddie’s ever seen it, and he lies back on the cold stone, elbows digging into the grassy parts as he watches Richie smoke._

_Its exhilarating, sitting here, just them two, and Eddie can’t help but be jealous of the cigarette that gets to touch the lips of Richie Tozier._

_~_

Everyday Eddie steps out on his roof to find Richie waiting on his own for him, and he pushes away the thoughts and tries to calm the thunderous beat of his heart as he silently wishes for lightning. He wishes for something electric. _Someone_ electric - that he can never have. 


	2. the calm before the storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "How was your day?" Richie asks. 
> 
> “Eh…its better now.” Eddie says, and he thinks Richie begins to blush, but theres no way.

Eddie throws his backpack into the corner of his room, the familiar spot it goes to every Friday night, until Sunday when Eddie takes the day to get ahead of his schoolwork for the week ahead. He grabs a hoodie and slips it on as he steps towards his window. Once his head pops out from behind the curtains, he looks across the roofs to see a familiar figure standing there, smiling.

He unlocks the window, and opens it in a fluid and familiar motion. It creaks, not wanting to be pushed, but its used to it by now. For as long as Eddie can remember, he’s been climbing out this window onto his roof, sitting with his best friend, his neighbour, the only boy in the universe Eddie will ever love. And thats a fact Eddie can’t really grasp just yet. 

“Eddie!” The other boy climbs out of his window, all gangly and awkward limbs. He drawls out the last e in Eddie’s name the whole time he spends climbing out the window. Somehow, mid-October, he is still wearing flip flops. He brushes some leaves away, but its not much use since the roof is a bit wet from the earlier rain. Eddie was thankful it had stopped now so the two could come for their daily chat. 

“How was your day, Rich?” Eddie asks, and Richie shrugs, extending his legs. His feet dangle off the ends of the drain pipes. His socks look a little wet (yes, flip flops and socks), making Eddie cringe internally, but Richie doesn’t notice. He takes the question into his mind, quirking his lips to the side and truly thinking about it for a moment. 

Eddie can’t remember the first time the two met on their roofs and started talking. Richie had lived in Derry his whole life, Eddie moved here when he was 5, and had moved next-door to a boy with long arms and short legs, bruises and scrapes littering his elbows and knees, and the biggest, goofiest, and toothiest smile. Not to mention his glasses, which were too big for his small head and made his eyes look ten times their actual size. Thankfully, he grew into them, and his legs and arms evened out. Eddie, on the other hand, has pretty much already stopped growing. He’s only 15, but he knows he’s doomed to be short forever.

“It was okay. I got a B- on my science paper with Bill Denbrough. Honestly thought he was more of an A+ guy, but oh well.” Richie says, and Eddie smiles fondly. He’d heard of Bill Denbrough, and when he had first seen him, Eddie was in love - as all other people are when they see Bill Denbrough for the first time. It’s not hard to do, especially if his blue eyes catch onto yours. You’re whipped before he opens his mouth. But it also doesn’t last long, because Bill is quiet and doesn’t talk to many people, other than Beverly Marsh and Mike Hanlon. To say people are envious of how close the two are to Bill is a start. 

“Good job.” Eddie says sincerely. Richie knows its sincere too, giving a toothy grin, one Eddie is all too familiar with. One that makes Eddie’s heart begin to thunder again. 

“Thanks. I also signed up for the school play. I don’t think I’ll get any good part, though.” 

“Maybe a tree in the background?” Eddie suggests. 

Richie laughs, scrunching his nose up. His glasses move upwards, digging into a small dent in between his eyebrows that had grown deeper since his childhood. He really should look into getting different glasses.

“How was your day?” Richie asks, crossing his legs and leaning foreword. Eddie always tried to correct him on his posture, but knew it was a useless cause. 

“Eh…its better now.” Eddie says, and he thinks Richie begins to blush, but theres no way. Richie is two years older than Eddie, and Eddie knows he isn’t into boys. Its not like they’ve ever really talked about their sexuality to one another, but Eddie has seen playboy magazines in Richie’s room. It was all girls, and it made Eddie nauseous when Richie would show them off to him as if they were some great prize. 

“You should sign up for the play too. Then we could see each other more at school.”

Eddie shrugs, playing with his shoelace. “You’d want that?”

They never typically hung out during school hours. Their lunches did not coordinate, and neither did their after-school schedules. They walked to school sometimes together, but Eddie’s mom usually insists on driving him, but has never offered to drive Richie. 

  
“Of course.” Richie says without hesitation. Eddie smiles, and then hears some yelling coming from inside his house. His smile drops and he groans instead, putting his head in his hands. He flops foreword, putting his head between his knees as well. “Momma Kaspbrak sounds like she’s got her panties in her real twist. What’d’ya do this time, Eds?”

“I think she’s just calling me for dinner.” Eddie says with a chuckle. Richie pouts. “Did you wanna come over and eat?” Eddie asks. Richie always loves coming over for dinner, simply because a warm home-cooked meal is not something he gets as often. Though Sonia never cares to have him over, it makes dinner much more enjoyable for Eddie. Richie is usually a peach around Sonia, so Eddie doesn’t really understand why she dislikes him so much.

“No, I’m not too hungry. Some microwave popcorn will do me just fine.” He says, forcing a bigger smile. He pats his small tummy, and it makes Eddie sigh. 

“You sure Rich?”

“Sure as I could ever be.” Richie states, standing and rubbing his wet hands on his pants. Eddie stands as well, and gives a small wave before turning and opening his window, climbing back inside.

Richie watches - no - Richie _stares_ , and gives Eddie one last smile before the curtains close and Eddie disappears. He’ll be back later, Richie knows it, but he frowns nonetheless. Instead of going back inside, Richie slides down his drain pipe, a familiar thing he’s been doing since he was young, and grabs his bike to go to the market for some cigarettes. He knows Eddie doesn’t approve of his smoking, but he also sees the way Eddie stares at him when he smokes. It makes Richie feel confident. 

He smokes half the pack waiting on the roof until 3 am, until he decides that Eddie’s not coming back, at least not tonight. 

He waits inside all weekend, as it rains on Saturday, into Sunday morning and afternoon. He watches Eddie’s lights go on and off, but the curtains don’t move, until around 9pm. The sun is almost done setting and he sits on the roof, smoking the last cigarette of the pack. 

Then the curtains move, and Richie gasps, inhaling more smoke than he planned. He coughs as he flicks the cigarette away and it lands on the wet pavement below. His eyes catch onto Eddie’s small hand come around and pull the curtain open, and the second he sees Richie he smiles. 

He unlocks the window and fumbles, opening it slowly and with a tiny grunt.

“Good to see you’re alive, Eds. I was about to put a missing persons ad in the paper. Your cute little self would’ve been all over the milk cartons in Maine.” Richie says, and Eddie rolls his eyes but laughs, cheeks going slightly red. 

“I’m so, _so_ sorry.” Eddie says. He looks onto his wet roof, and then grabs a hoodie, and proceeds to shuffle out his window. He lays down the hoodie and then sits on it. He still feels some of the wetness from the rain, but he’s at peace with it. “My mom was making me do a bunch of shit for her this whole weekend. I know I’m better at math than her but I did not want to spend my weekend counting her visa bills.” He shudders, and Richie smirks.

“What would you rather spend your weekend doing?” He asks, and Eddie gives him a questioning glare. A thought comes to Eddie’s mind, the kind of thought that only comes to one’s mind late at night when you’re alone in bed.  
  
“Literally, _anything_ but that.” He says quietly, and Richie hums.

“Well, while you were gone, I actually got a letter from the one and only Bill Denbrough.”

“Oh?” Eddie grins, raising his eyebrows. 

“Yeah, he’s invited me to his party next weekend. He said I could bring anyone, and I would like to bring you.

“Oh.” He frowns, “Am I allowed?”

“Allowed?” Richie asks. 

“Is a _sophomore_ allowed at a _senior_ party?” Eddie asks plainly and explicitly, “Especially when that senior is Bill Denbrough.” He adds the last part under his breath but Richie still hears it, scoffing at the idea. 

“Fuck, obviously.” Richie shakes his head with a laugh. “Don’t worry. You’ll be with me and you’ll be fine.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Never been more sure in my life. Plus,” Richie smirks, “Lots of cute gals from different schools. I’ll have to introduce you. Plus Bev will be there. She’s a cool gal.”

Eddie chuckles and forces a smile, nodding his head. His heart sinks into his stomach and he feels his hands and toes begin to go numb, along with his cheeks as his forced smile begins to ache. He begins to blame it on the cold - the fact that he feels like he’s shutting down from the inside out.

In the distance, thunder starts rumbling, and Eddie uses that as an excuse to say goodbye. 

“See ya tomorrow, Rich.” Eddie says, climbing back inside his window, throwing his now half-soaked hoodie into his laundry basket. 

Richie salutes as a goodbye, and Eddie slams the window closed, shoving the curtain to the side. He stares at the dark blue fabric of the curtain, and through it he can slightly see Richie still sitting on his roof, running a hand over his face. 

Eddie climbs into his bed, feeling his eyes well with tears. He can’t help but let them spill, curling himself into his blankets. At some point he falls asleep, and when he wakes, he curses himself for forgetting about his homework. But he doesn’t really care. He thinks about faking sick for the day, and opts out, because he then remembers how crazy his mom would get if he pretended to have a fever. 

He climbs out of bed, still in his clothing from the night before. He showers, eats breakfast, and then heads to school. As he gets to his locker he hears a familiar voice calling to him from down the hall. He ignores it, slamming his locker and taking off to first period before Richie can even get close. 

* * *

 

Its late at night when Eddie sneaks out, over the roof and into Richie’s room. Richie had contacted him via walkie talkie and said, “Bladerunner night?”.

That was enough to get Eddie out of his funk and over to Richie’s. 

They sit on his bed, Richie having microwaved two bags of popcorn and had already cracked open two coke cans by the time Eddie had climbed in. Halfway through watching, Eddie finds himself drifting off slowly, and he can’t help but lean his head on Richie’s shoulder. He feels Richie begin shifting, and that makes Eddie open his eyes quickly, giving him an apologetic look and begin scooting away. 

“No no, its ok, here-“ Richie says quickly, opening his arms. Eddie smiles tiredly and rests his head on Richie’s chest as his arms come to wrap around him. He feels Richie rest his cheek on top of Eddie’s head and let out a sigh. Eddie feels Richie’s heart beating fast in his chest, and he tries to stay awake for a little longer but can’t help it. 

Its around 7:00 when Eddie stirs awake. The popcorn has been moved along with the pop cans, and Richie and Eddie are still tangled together, even more so now with their legs as well. Eddie shifts up, staring down at Richie, who’s got his lips slightly parted, little breaths of air coming in and out. Eddie can feel his chest rising and falling. He’s taken his glasses off, and Eddie wiggles his arm slowly out from underneath Richie to brush his hair out of his eyes. Eddie’s brain feels like mush at how peaceful Richie looks. 

Eddie stares at his freckles, and his small, cute nose, also littered with freckles. Eddie runs a few fingers down the side of his face, under his jaw. He does it so softly that his fingers barely ghost against his skin, against the bit of hair that is growing on his chin, and when Eddie finally lays his eyes on Richie’s lips, he has to stop himself from moving closer. 

Eddie wonders, though, how Richie’s lips would feel pressed against his own. If he did it now, while Richie was in a deep sleep, he wouldn’t feel it. He wouldn’t know - would he? 

Eddie presses his thumb slowly into Richie’s bottom lip, running over the smooth surface, feeling Richie’s breath on his fingertips=. Eddie shuffles foreword ever so slightly, just so he’s hovering his lips just above Richie’s. He feels his breath there, too, and closes his eyes. Its a long moment before he finally just dips down. Their lips brush, and Eddie gasps, pulling away in a quick movement at the sudden shock it gave him. _Electric,_ he thinks.

He still doesn’t wake Richie, thankfully, and Eddie groans quietly, closing his eyes and trying to regain some of his usual self-control. He can’t though, as his lips still tingle from the quick brush and he knows he has to do it again. Just one more time. He lets himself smile for a moment. 

He reassumes his position from before, hovering over him. For a moment Richie stirs, his hand squeezing at Richie’s hip. His head moves, and he’s facing Eddie now fully, and Eddie wonders for a moment if Richie is completely aware of this situation. He swallows, waiting an extra minute to see if Richie opens his eyes at all. After that minute is over, his fear begins to melt away. He brings his small hand to cup Richie’s cheek, light enough that he barely feels him. He runs his thumb over Richie’s bottom lip again, his heart thundering in his chest as he closes his eyes, rethinking this all over again. 

But before he can even begin leaning in, he feels Richie’s lips press to his and he shoots his eyes open just as Richie’s close. They catch onto each others eyes for a brief second, and Richie’s seemed to be _sparkling_. He feels a hand at the back of his neck and feels Richie’s other arm, still underneath him, pull him closer, tighter. Eddie doesn’t know what to do except kiss him back, squeezing his eyes shut. He feels Richie let out a breath as he opens his mouth and their tongues meet. Its tired but passionate and Eddie feels weak. 

Each time they move, he feels a sudden and quick spark, and it makes Eddie feel like he’s flying. His hand on Richie’s cheek moves to the nape of his neck, his fingers twirling around some curls and he tugs slightly, Richie suddenly pushing him over and taking more control. Eddie feels Richie’s legs come around each side of him as they both began to breathe a little heavier, Richie now fully encompassing all of Eddie’s space. 

He hears Richie moan through the ringing in his ears and he has to stop then, because he knows he’ll be more than needy within a few minutes, or less. He moves his head to the side and Richie tiredly sinks his head to his neck. Richie’s nose brushes against his ear and he feels Richie plant a kiss there. 

“Good morning to you too.” Richie whispers, his voice raspy and groggy.

“I’m sorry.” Eddie whispers, and Richie snaps his head up.

“Sorry for what?”

“Whatever that was.” Eddie says, his mouth feeling dry as he focuses back onto Richie’s lips.

“Don’t worry. It was nice.”Richie says nonchalantly, quickly untangling himself from Eddie. He sits up, stretching and cracking his back as he yawns. He looks down to Eddie, his cheeks are a shade of pink Richie’s never seen them as. “Hey, later I was wondering if you could read over some lines with me. I got the part of Polonius in _Hamlet_.” He says, butchering the names completely. He puts his glasses on and gets out of the bed.

Eddie sits up on his elbows, watching as Richie walks around his room, throwing off his clothes and changing into joggers instead of jeans, and an old band tee. Slowly his shock begins to turn into anger, and he practically jumps off the bed and walks quickly towards the window, his shaking hands unlocking it. 

“I should go.”

“No, wait. Breakfast?” Richie asks, but Eddie is pushing the window up, and somehow its a lot harder to open it in this moment than any other time before. 

“I shouldn’t have…We shouldn’t have done that.” Eddie says as he begins to climb out. He then feels a hand wrap tight around his wrist and pull him slightly back in. He turns to find Richie standing there, a nervous look on his face. Richie licks his lips, and sighs.

“What’s up?” Richie asks, a look of concern across his features, but Eddie shakes his head and wrestles free of his friend’s grasp. 

“Why are you acting like us just _kissing_ means nothing?” Eddie says, his voice beginning to waver. He doesn’t know if its anger or sadness or _both_. Richie’s grip softens, and then he drops his arm. He looks down, away from Eddie, his expression one of something Eddie can’t really read through. He looks solemn. 

Eddie practically hurtles out the window, jumping across the roof and climbing into his own window as fast as his legs can carry him. He slams it shut and pulls the curtains closed. He takes off his clothing as he runs to the washroom, turning on the shower and getting in before the water has a chance to get warm. He takes heaving breaths, trying to understand what just happened but he can’t. He doesn’t even know how to say it out loud, just to himself. To admit what he just did was _real_. 

Eddie tries to focus on his homework after he showers, eating some sugar cookies Sonia had made earlier. She even suggested bringing some over to Richie. She never suggested anything to do with Richie - it was a rare coincidence that made Eddie choke on his glass of milk.

He looks to his window, and walks over to it. He pulls the curtain back just a small bit to see Richie sitting on his rooftop, reading a book with a cigarette lit between his teeth. Eddie walks back to his desk and turns off his light, climbing into his bed and wishing for sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed! part 3 coming soooon ~~~~


	3. thunder and lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Eddie. Do you like me? As in, like like me?”
> 
> “Would you hate me?” Eddie asks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh i had no real clue where i was going with this. i just kept writing. 
> 
> i hope it works!

When the weekend comes, Eddie and Richie still haven’t spoken about what happened that morning, and they both silently agree to just ignore it, all while ignoring each other as well.

Eddie was at a crossroads too, trying to decide if he should show up at Bill Denbrough’s party. He had run into Beverly Marsh at school after hours. He was heading home from tutoring when he bumped into her, dressed all in black and holding a mask. _Theatre kids,_ he thought, but it was more admiration, not judgement. She hugged him tight and asked if he was going to be coming to Bill's, since she heard through Richie he would be, and Richie had told Beverly he would. But now, as Eddie sits in his room, fully dressed and ready to go, he doesn’t know if he has the courage to attend. He's been frowning at himself in the mirror for the better half of 20 minutes. 

Soon his mother had asked if he wanted to watch some soaps with her, and it quickly made the decision itself. He snuck out, and hopped on his bike, riding the few streets over.

Eddie feels overwhelmed as he stands in the kitchen alone. Its the only place in the whole house with proper lighting. The floor is shaking from the music, the deep bass, and it makes Eddie feel small. He doesn’t know a single person here. He does…but they don’t know _him._

He’s found a clean red cup and filled it with grape soda, and he sips it quietly as his eyes look around wildly. He knew if he showed up, it would possibly help get them to talk to one another again. Yet, he’s been standing in this kitchen for a half hour, people coming and going, none of them Richie. Eventually he gets the courage to venture out of the kitchen, and ends up bumping into Beverly Marsh. Her eyes are red and she smells like smoke, but she smiles _so_ big when she sees Eddie, and hugs him. 

“Hey! You came!”

“Yeah,” Eddie laughs, hugging her back. “Wheres Richie?”

“Oh,” She pouts, thinking. She looks towards her friends, who are staring at her, waiting for her to come back to them. She turns to Eddie, “I think he went upstairs a while ago. If you can’t find him up there, come find me again.” She says, squeezing his arm and giving him a friendly smiel, then goes to her friends. One of them is Bill Denbrough, and Eddie locks eyes with him. His heart skips, and he looks away, making his way to the stairs with Richie on his mind. 

He climbs them two at a time, and ends up in a long hallway. He sips his soda, and goes left first.

“Richie?” He opens a door to a closet, and then laughs at himself as he shakes his head. 

He finds nothing in other rooms, and surprisingly, upstairs is a lot more quiet. He’s about to give up when he hears a noise behind the door to his right. 

“Rich?” Eddie says as he opens the door, then he freezes. What he sees is a girl, on her knees, and Richie sitting on the edge of the bed with his hand tight in a fist in the girls hair. Her head is bobbing up and down and Eddie gasps. He feels a sudden pain in his chest, a stabbing feeling that goes straight to his heart and he feels it stop beating.

Eddie’s soda drops out of his hand, splashing to the carpeted floor. Richie opens his eyes, not even realizing that someone was there. He squints, and then grabs his glasses. When he puts them on, his face drops.

“Eddie.” He says, his expression turning into one of recognition as he remembers he invited him here. At least that’s what Eddie thinks, _he must’ve forgotten about me. And he's already moved on._

Eddie’s mouth opens and closes, wanting to respond, but he can’t. His brain isn’t functioning, as the girls turns to face him, her red lipstick smeared. She barely glances at him before turning back to Richie, who’s still frozen. 

Eddie looks down at the grape soda, swarming around his ankles. He blinks, and Richie does too. 

“Eddie,” He says again, cautiously. His hands fumble to push the girl away and pull his boxers on.

Eddie turns and begins to walk down the hall, as fast as his legs can take him to the washroom he saw earlier. He gets inside and slams the door closed, locking it, and then sits on the edge of the tub, still shocked. He looks towards the window. 

Richie stares at the now empty doorway, and the girl begins to pull at his boxers. He shakes his head and she frowns. Richie stands up and away, stumbling off the bed, pulling his jeans up even more as he steps over the soda and runs out of the room. 

“Eddie!” Richie shouts, and then sees some light underneath the bathroom door, leaking into the hall. He sighs, closing his eyes as he tries to process this. He can’t believe he forgot that he had invited Eddie to this party. Beverly is now at the bottom of the stairs, looking at Richie disapprovingly. Richie doesn’t notice, but he still feels it regardless. He feels pathetic. 

Richie walks up to the bathroom door, knocking on it. He hears nothing. 

“Eddie, please open the door.” He says after trying to open it multiple times. The handle jiggles in protest, and he gives up, leaning his head against the wood. “I’m sorry. I forgot I invited you?” He says, and then he hears it - a whimper. Its small and broken and Richie collapses onto his knees, staring in through the keyhole. “Eddie.” He says again, and Eddie is in a small ball on the floor, hugging his knees as he sits underneath the window. 

Richie continues to jiggle the handle, and then runs off to find Bill - he _must_ have a key to unlock the door. When he comes back, Beverly on his heels, he opens the door to find the washroom empty, the window open and the curtains blowing slightly from the cold fall air. He runs to the window, looking frantically into the night. He can barely make out someone in the distance, riding a bike. 

“Eddie!” He shouts, but its 2am, and Beverly puts a hand over his mouth to muffle it. “Fuck off.” He says, pushing past her roughly. She gasps as her back hits the tiled wall, but before Richie can exit the washroom, he bumps into Bill, who is now fully blocking his exit. _Was he always this tall?_

“Apologize to Beverly.” He says lowly, his nostrils flaring slightly, his blue eyes growing dark. He doesn't stutter, and keeps his eyes locked onto Richie's. 

Richie turns to Beverly, sucking in a breath of air. “Sorry. I’m just…pissed.” He grits out.

“Yeah. At yourself.” She says, scoffing. “Don’t take it out on me. Or Eddie. You don’t even deserve someone like him. He deserves more. Does he even _really_ know you? If he did he wouldn’t be so head over heels for you.” Beverly says bitterly as she now pushes past Richie, grabbing Bill’s arm and walking back downstairs. Richie stands with his mouth open, barely breathing. He feels numb. _Head over heels?_

Richie’s lungs feel heavy, as does his heart and his _soul._ He leaves the house without saying anything to anyone, and walks home. 

When he gets home, he enters his room, and looks out onto his rooftop. There sits Eddie, sitting on _Richie’s_ roof. Richie stumbles quickly to go open his window, tripping over a pair of shoes in the process. 

“Eddie-“

“Why’d you invite me if you were just gonna hook up with some girl the whole time?” 

“I forgot-“

“That you invited me?” Eddie asks, turning to face him. His eyes are red, cheeks streaked with tears. 

Richie steps outside, and sits down next to Eddie, who keeps staring ahead. 

“After what happened…we haven’t spoke…I didn’t think you’d come.” 

Eddie doesn’t respond. He just sits, expressionless, staring at his window. 

“Bev said something to me.” Richie starts, “And, I just want to ask.” He takes a deep breath, “And please don’t…get offended. Okay?”

“Sure, whatever.” Eddie mumbles and sniffs, bring a hand to wipe at his tears. 

“Eddie. Do you like me? As in, _like like_ me?” Richie says it, his voice strained in a way that sounds like its hard for him to say. Only because he doesn't want to sound too overexcited. 

Eddie’s breath hitches and he looks towards Richie. 

“You do, don’t you?” Richie asks, and Eddie shuffles away, standing up.

“Would you hate me?” Eddie asks. 

“Never.”

Eddie nods, and continues nodding until Richie gets the point. Richie nods in response, and then Eddie steps over onto his own roof. Richie doesn’t protest as Eddie climbs back in his window. He gives Richie one last look before he shuts the window and closes the curtains.

* * *

 Richie sits outside on his roof. It rains for a while, but yet, he sits there and waits. 

Eddie’s light turns on at one point, and Richie sits up, hopeful. Eddie’s curtains stay closed, not even moving an inch. When his lights go out, Richie bites onto the inside of his cheek, hard. Tears well up in his eyes, and he forces himself to stand. 

He steps to the edge of his roof, and takes a giant step towards Eddie’s roof, just reaching it. He balances himself, and climbs across quickly. He walks up the window, peaking into the room where the curtain doesn’t fully close off from him. 

Its dark, but he can make out a figure lying in a bed. Richie knocks on the window, and the figure moves.

“Eddie? Can you please talk to me?” Richie says, not too loud, knowing the window is thin enough that Eddie will be able to hear him. “It’s been almost a week since we last spoke and I didn’t even apologize for what happened at the party-“ 

The curtain pulls back then, and Eddie stands there, just in his boxers. He shakes his head, but then opens the window. 

“I don’t have anything to say to you. I…shouldn’t even be mad. We’re not…together.” He says as he walks back to his bed. Richie climbs in the window and then shuts it behind himself. 

“What I did was really shit to you, Eds. I should understand. You’re younger than me, and I took advantage of your feelings… I also…should’ve known. That you…” _liked me,_ Richie wants to finish, but he doesn’t, “Y’know..” His hands make some weird motion between them, and Eddie narrows his eyes. 

“Advantage? God you make it sound like I didn’t _want_ what we did.” Eddie says, rubbing his eyes with one hand. He sighs, and he hears Richie pull up his desk chair across from him. When he looks up, Richie is pouting, and Eddie just wants to climb into his lap and kiss him again. Instead, he pulls his blankets around him, covering his body from Richie. Richie notices this, his lips turning into a thin line as his eyebrows furrow, and his eyes glimmer with sadness.

“Eddie. I’m…I’m still sorry. Despite all that.”

“Did you enjoy it?” Eddie asks after a moment of silence. He’s not looking at Richie, instead, decides to pick at a thread coming out of his blanket. 

“Enjoy what?” Richie says, eyes widening. 

“The blowjob.” Eddie asks. The word sounds weird coming out of his mouth.

“Oh.” Richie frowns, and looks down. “Honestly? She wasn’t you.” He swallows, avoiding his eyes for a moment, then frown, “Which was probably just the worst thing in the fucking world.” Richie says, then lets out a small chuckle. Eddie doesn’t laugh, and Richie clears his throat. 

Eddie feels his cheeks heat up and a smile creep onto his face. He looks down, and away, but he still feels the bed dip beside himself, and then a cold hand comes to his lower back. He shivers, goosebumps forming on his arms and legs. He turns to Richie, who gives him the most sincere, and apologetic smile he can muster. His eyebrows furrowed together, his curly hair falling into loops around his glasses. Eddie lets out a sigh.

“Eddie,” He whispers, “I don’t know what I was thinking. And I’m not going to try and come up with any excuse for my actions…because I know they were stupid and I regret them.” His fingers begin drawing small circles on Eddie’s lower back, and Eddie feels his stomach begin to tingle. “Can you ever forgive me?” He asks. 

Eddie swallows, his breathing becoming shallow as Richie’s eyes stare into his. Richie’s fingers drag up Eddie’s spine, and then stop at the back of his neck. Richie turns his head to the side slightly, questioning. Eddie feels his eyes well up with tears, and he look up at Richie, his bottom lip beginning to wiggle.

“You’re the biggest fucking idiot I’ve ever met.” He says. 

Then Eddie surges foreword, pressing his lips to Richie’s. Its thunder and lightening almost _instantly_ , and Eddie knows Richie feels it too.

Richie’s tongue almost instantly pokes at Eddie’s mouth, and he opens gladly, pushing the blankets to the side as he climbs into Richie’s lap. In a desperate attempt to get any kind of action, Eddie feels himself grinding involuntarily into Richie, and slowly begins to feel Richie growing underneath him, their tongues tangled together as they kiss, breathing hot and heavy against one another. 

“Eddie, we shouldn’t…do anything…without talking..s’more.” Richie says in between kisses, but Eddie whines, shaking his head. 

He brings a hand down in between himself and Richie, rubbing over Richie’s jeans and Richie moans in response, biting on Eddie’s lower lip slightly before he begins to help Eddie in undoing his zipper. 

Eddie’s thighs tighten and Richie groans at the pressure, tossing his glasses to the side as he pulls Eddie impossibly closer, his pants now unzipped, although that hasn’t helped him in the slightest. Eddie has a hand over Richie’s boxers, and slowly but surely begins to pull back the waistband of his boxers. Richie moans and Eddie feels confident as his hand wraps around Richie, small and timid and Richie can’t handle the thought of Eddie’s small hands being completely enveloped around Richie. 

He secures an arm around Eddie’s waist, and maneuvers them so Eddie is lying on his back, legs still around Richie’s waist. He tries lowering them but Eddie squeezes harder, causing Richie to grind down slightly, and the two moan into each other’s mouths, Eddie’s more of a whimper than anything, as Richie feels they are on the same level of being impossibly hard. 

Richie grinds down again and Eddie’s eyes close and his jaw goes slack as pleasure takes over. He’s shaking, he’s sweating, and Richie knows they’re both seconds away and they’ve only _just_ begun. Eddie slides his hand back down and free’s Richie from his boxers and Eddie lifts his hips as Richie pulls his boxers down, even just halfway, enough for them both to be exposed. 

“Eddie,” Richie says, but Eddie interrupts. 

“I don’t wanna fucking talk.”

Richie smiles, then laughs, “Neither do I. I just..I want to make sure-“

“Just shut up.” Eddie tries pulling him down to kiss him again, but Richie is stronger, holding himself up with his forearm. Eddie pouts.

“Tell me that you’re sure.”

“I’m sure of what?”

“That you _want this._ That you want _me?”_ Silence follows. 

Eddie breathes slowly, Richie’s eyes searching his frantically, searching for an answer. For _something._

“Richie Tozier.” He starts, and it makes Richie blush. “Remember how I said you’re the biggest idiot ever?” He asks, as Richie nods he runs a finger over Richie’s bottom lip. Eddie smiles, staring at him with an unreadable expression. One full of happiness, full of some kind of passion. Some kind of love. “That was me telling you I want this. I want _you_. _You_. Richie Tozier. Only you.” 

No more convincing is needed, Richie waits a moment, the two slowly moving in, staring into each others eyes until their lips finally meet, and they both collapse. Richie brings his hand in-between them, holding his own and Eddie’s in one hand, jerking quickly and smoothly, their mouths centimetres away as they both try to regulate their breathing. Eddie comes first, but Richie is seconds later, his hips jerking up and he moans _loud_ , Eddie slapping a hand over his mouth in fear that his mother may come running.

After a moment, Richie sticks his tongue out to make Eddie move his hand.

“Gross.” Eddie says as he wipes his now wet hand on the bed sheets. Richie just chuckles, and then collapses on top of him, nestling his face into Eddie’s neck. Eddie waits for a moment, expecting Richie to possibly begin biting or sucking - but it doesn’t come. 

Instead, he hears a whimper, feels a sob wrack through Richie’s chest and out of his mouth.  
  
“Hey- _woah_.” Eddie tries to move to get a better look at him, but Richie is too strong for him, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s abdomen and lower back, holding him tight against him. Eddie feels him shake slightly, and he feels useless. “Rich,” He whispers, running a hand through his hair, pulling it back to try and look at him.

“Eddie.” He says, looking up slightly, just enough for Eddie to catch a glimpse of his wet eyes, and he feels relief wash over him at the sight of his smile. “I love you.” He states, and Eddie’s eyesight becomes blurry. He shuffles himself down, its awkward and a little uncomfortable, but the two hold each other, crying. They’re warm, they’re safe, not even caring in the slightest how sticky they’ll be in the morning. They hear rain pelting onto Eddie’s bedroom window. In the distance, thunder, and lightening. Eddie begins counting the time, and before he knows it, Richie has fallen asleep on him, arms wrapped still so tight. 

* * *

 A couple days later, Eddie is relaxed on Richie’s bed. He’s reading a novel for class and waiting for Richie to come back with pizza. After eating they cuddle on the bed just relaxing and occasionally sharing a few words, but other than that they feel comfortable, and neither of them want to move. 

Except for when Richie does, because suddenly a switch goes off and he’s running to grab his guitar. 

“I made a song for you, Eddie.”

“A what?” Eddie had sat up, afraid at Richie suddenly running away from him. But as Richie had come back with his guitar, Eddie’s stomach had done some happy flips, and somehow, exactly what he was hoping for was what Richie had just said to him. 

“A song.” Richie begins tuning the guitar. “You know I can’t sing, so I made something that sounds like how you make me feel.”

Eddie listens, to the sound of the guitar chords that Richie is plucking away at, and how it sounds like them. Theres fireworks, and later nights spent on the rooftop. Theres singing songs in the basement and watching reruns of old cop shows in Eddie’s room. Theres chatting over the walkie talkies as they sit in their rooms, staring out their windows at one another, and waiting for the rain to end. He hears himself swimming at the quarry, play fighting with Richie and then sitting on the edge of the cliff and smoking. Well, Richie’s smoking, but its still beautiful. 

Theres thunder, and theres lighting, and theres love. It’s not sudden, though. The love is evident there in the song throughout it all. And even though its just bursted from its seams Eddie knows, he _feels_ , that it’ll never end. It’ll never stop being a part of him. A part of _them_. 

The song ends abruptly and Richie chuckles sheepishly as his hands drop from the guitar.

“I haven’t quite figured an ending out yet.” He says, but Eddie, tears in his eyes, shakes his head quickly. 

Eddie takes the guitar from Richie, planting it on the ground safely before climbing into his lap and smothering him with kisses.

"We don't need an ending." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and thats all folks! hope u enjoyed :****

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed! thank you for reading :* next part coming really soon!
> 
> comments and kudos greatly appreciated!
> 
> you can find me on tumblr @babybyelers 
> 
> <3


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